Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Grace Time Salmon Improved&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Grace Time Salmon Improved,’ having a good uniform canopy of salmon quill single flowers with a light green disc. The new variety has a medium vigor and a uniform spreading habit with a good foliage presentation.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/524,739, filed Nov. 20, 2003.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Grace Time SalmonImproved.’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety ofChrysanthemums botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, andreferred to by the variety name ‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’.

‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’, identified as 20911-27, was discovered asa whole plant mutation found in a controlled cultivated planting of thevariety ‘Grace Time Pink’ (U.S. Plant Patent Application Ser. No.60/524,339). The new variety ‘Grace is Time Salmon Improved’ has beenasexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings in Chichester, West Sussex,United Kingdom and the distinguishing characteristics are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’ is a pot type of Chrysanthemum plantvariety having salmon single quill type flowers with a light green disc.

Comparison with Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’ aresimilar to the parent ‘Grace Time Pink’ in plant habitat and growthrate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, UnitedKingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemumvariety ‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’ compared to plants of the parent‘Grace Time Pink’ in the following characteristics.

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’ produces salmon        quill single flowers whereas the parent variety ‘Grace Time        Pink’ produces purple single quill flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’ have a        similar inflorescence to the plants of the parent variety ‘Grace        Time Pink.’

Comparison with Other Varieties

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’ aredissimilar to the variety ‘Mogul Time’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,262) inplant habitat and growth rate. However, in side-by-side comparisons inChichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice,plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’differed from plants of the variety ‘Mogul Time’ in the followingcharacteristics.

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’ produces salmon        quill single flowers whereas ‘Mogul Time’ produces purple quill        spoon tip single flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’ have        smaller and shorter inflorescence than plants of ‘Mogul Time.’

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemumvariety ‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’ are shown in the accompanyingdigital photograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within theusual limits of this kind of illustration. FIG. 1 is a whole plant viewof the new variety ‘Grace Time Salmon Improved’ grown in a pot. Theplant shown in the illustration is 56 days from the commencement ofShort Days.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace TimeSalmon Improved’ is of plants grown in a greenhouse in Chichester, WestSussex, United Kingdom in the month of September. The variety has notbeen observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotypemay vary significantly with variations in the environment such astemperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance ingenotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a potChrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperatureconditions averaging about 19° C. at night and about 17° C. to 24° C.during the day under light conditions of about 5,000 to 6,000 footcandles. The plants respond well to the use of growth retardant, such asone B9 treatment at about 2 gm per liter. To produce a commercialproduct the plants may be pinched once with the center bud removed. Thetypical container size for commercial growth is 1 liter. It has beenobserved that the shelf life of the new variety is about 21 days with aresponse time of about 7.5 weeks. The new variety is suitable for growthin a temperature range of 15° C. to 25° C.

The new variety may be produced as a spray. The following description iswith respect to a plant produced as pot. In the description of this newChrysanthemum variety, color values have been taken from The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

Plant

-   Plant type: Pot.-   Habit: Upright and free branching.-   Height: 22 cm.-   Width: 32 cm.-   Stem:    -   -   Length (cm).—5.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.8.        -   Texture.—slightly pubescent.        -   Color.—139C.-   Branching characteristics: upright and free branching.-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Length (cm).—14.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.6.        -   Texture.—slightly pubescent.-   Number of breaks from pinch: 5 to 7.-   Response time: 52 days.-   Vigor: Medium.-   Shelf life: 21 days.-   Life of blooms: 21 days.-   Disease (susceptibility or resistance): None observed.-   Pest (susceptibility or resistance): None observed.-   Drought or temperature (susceptibility or resistance): None    observed.-   Growth retardant type and treatment: 3 applications of 2.5 gm/liter    B9 @2, 21 and 28 days after sticking of unrooted cuttings. The    plants were grown for 2 weeks in Long Day conditions (20 hours of    light) and then transferred to Short Day conditions (13 hours of    dark).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—vegetative Propagation via Stem Cuttings.        -   Time to rooting.—14 days with soil temperatures of 18° C.        -   Rooting habit.—after 7 days the first roots emerge and form            root primordia. In 14 Long Days a complete root system is            developed.

Foliage

-   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 8 to 12.-   Compound or single: Single.-   Arrangement of leaves: Alternate.    -   -   Shape of leaf.—Typically 5 lobed.        -   Size of leaf.—Width (cm): 4.5 Length (cm): 9.        -   Leaf lpex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Attachment.—petioled.        -   Aspect.—Slightly Undulating.        -   Margin.—Palmately lobed.        -   Surface characteristics.—Top: Slightly Pubescent Bottom:            Pubescent.-   Petiole:    -   -   Color.—139B.        -   Length (cm).—1.3.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.-   Venation:    -   -   Color.—upperside: 138B underside: 138C.-   Color:    -   -   Mature leaf, upper side.—near 137C; under side: near 138A.        -   Young leaf, upper side.—near 137A; under side: near 138A.

Flower

-   Flower appearance: Matte.-   Flower type: Single quill.-   Flower form: Slightly cupped.-   Flower shape: Circular.-   Flowering habit: Cyme.-   Number of blossoms per branch: 5.-   Typical and observed flowering season: January to December.-   Inflorescence form: Cyme.    -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms.—1.5 cm.        -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms.—5 cm.-   Phyllaries:    -   -   Number.—18.        -   Color.—138A.        -   Length.—0.7 cm.        -   Width.—0.2 cm.        -   Texture/Appearance.—Pubescent.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length (cm).—13.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.5.        -   Angle from stem (degrees).—10.        -   Color.—138B.        -   Surface.—Pubescent.        -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.        -   Strength.—Strong.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—terminal: 3 cm; lateral: 4 cm.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.        -   Color.—138B.        -   Surface.—Pubescent.        -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.        -   Strength.—medium.-   Ray florets:    -   -   Form/Shape.—Straight and cylindrical.        -   Texture/Appearance.—matte.        -   Number per flower.—40.        -   Length (cm).—2.5 Width (cm): 0.4.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Tapered.        -   Margin.—Entire.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Form/Shape.—Cylindric.        -   Texture/Appearance.—Shiny.        -   Number per flower.—192.        -   Length (cm).—0.5; Width (cm): 0.1.        -   Diameter of disc (cm).—1.2.-   Fragrance: none observed.-   Flower bud (at onset of color):    -   -   Length.—1 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.7 cm.        -   Form/shape.—Globular.-   General flower color:    -   -   1. Ray florets, upper side.—Immature: near 50A and 36B.            Mature: near 50B and 36B Older/Fading: near 50C and 36B.        -   2. Ray florets, under side.—Immature: near 56C Mature: near            56C Older/Fading: near 56D.        -   3. Disc florets.—Immature: near 151A Mature: near 151B            Older/Fading: near 151B.        -   4. Bud.—50A.-   Flower progression with age: There is no change with the flower    form, but there is a slight color fading with age.

Reproductive Organs

-   Gynoecium present on ray and disc florets:-   Ray florets per individual flower: Pistillate.    -   -   Pistil number.—40.        -   Stigma color.—154A.        -   Stigma shape.—Forked.        -   Style color.—154B.        -   Style length (cm).—0.3.-   Disc florets per individual flower: Pistillate.    -   -   Pistil number.—90.        -   Stigma color.—154A.        -   Stigma shape.—forked.        -   Style color.—154B.        -   Style length (cm).—0.3.-   Androecium: None observed.-   Fruit and seeds: None observed.

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially asdescribed and illustrated herein.